Okorocha, Other Candidates Sign Peace Accord In Imo

Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State has signed the Imo Accord for
2015 peaceful polls along other governorship candidates of other
political parties in the state.

The Imo State chief executive made the endorsement at the office of
the state Police Commissioner, Mr. Abdulmajid Ali, shortly after a
ceremony was held at the Police Command headquarters in Owerri.

Okorocha, who expressed his resolve to continue to uphold peace in the
state, said the All Progressives Congress (APC) was prepared to work
with other political parties to guarantee violence-free polls in the
state.

He, however, expressed worry over the involvement of the police force
in certain issues in the state, which he said might create tension if
not properly addressed.

One of such cases he cited was the sealing of the office of the
chairman of Imo State Traditional Rulers Council, thereby crippling
the activities of the traditional council, and appealed for the
intervention of the Inspector General of Police.

Okorocha further lamented the incessant arrest of APC party officials,
expressing fear that PDP might use the police against other political
parties and insisted that the police must remain neutral at all times.
He urged PDP to refrain from acts capable of truncating the peace in
the state.

"Let me inform PDP that police are not the property of one political
party," he stated.

Ali said the meeting with the governorship candidates of the various
political parties and their party chairmen was most fruitful as they
all promised to abide by the peace accord for 2015 general elections
and commitment to the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

He commended Okorocha and other candidates in the state for remaining
peaceful in their campaigns and urged them to continue to play
according to rules.

The group signed an agreement to run issue-based campaign and refrain
from campaign based on religious sentiments, as well as refrain from
political statements that could incite violence.

Rochas Okorocha was represented at the ceremony earlier by his Deputy,
Prince Eze Madumere, where other governorship candidates and their
party chairmen signed the peace agreement pact.
--DailyIndepedent